i feel that i MUST jog 4 miles before any hard workout or race. i don't feel that 2 miles or even 5k does the right job. am i crazy?
i feel that i MUST jog 4 miles before any hard workout or race. i don't feel that 2 miles or even 5k does the right job. am i crazy?
wow yeah you are so unbelievably hardcore you might be insane.
You are crazy. It has nothing to do with your warmup jogs.
Some of the best workouts I ever did were 6 mile tempos during the later part of 13 mile long runs after 6 mile warmups.
Instead of jogging your entire warm up, jog a mile then repeat 1 min tempo and 1 min jog for the second mile (and third if necessary). This warms me up faster than jogging.
You are not crazy.
I feel the same way sometimes. In high school...I warmed up 5-10 mins. Once I got into college, it was 3 miles. Post-collegiately, it's usually 2-3 miles.
Before workouts though, I have gone 4 miles at times. Sometimes I do it because I feel like crap and need more of a warmup...and sometimes I just do it to put in more miles that day or not have to cool down as much.
I will agree with the one poster though, including some tempo has helped me in the past. One time before a 3K, I paced an older buddy in an open mile 10 mins before I raced. I ended up running 1200 meters @ threshold to pace him. I won my race and it went pretty good.
Massive waste of time.
Idiot.
If you are racing 1500-10k you need to get in time at tempo pace or race pace during your warm up. A common mistake in distance runners is the 15 minute warm up jog that starts 1 hour before a race. This is ineffective, more so in cold weather.
Your long warm ups are a good thing. You are getting blood to the muscles, activating the cooling systems and generally preparing your body to compete. Well done.
Be Dynamic wrote:
A common mistake in distance runners is the 15 minute warm up jog that starts 1 hour before a race. This is ineffective, more so in cold weather.
Totally agreed. I went kind of extreme and started warming up 35-40 mins before my races in college, and I raced well more consistently. 20 minutes of running (starting slow and ending around marathon pace) plus 15-20 mins for drills, strides, and getting shoes on. Felt a bit rushed, but it beat sitting around for an extra 20-30 minutes stressing about the race and getting cold.
Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:
Massive waste of time.
Idiot.
I'm going to have to side with Xfit guy on this one.
Waste of time. Warming up is necessary but beyond a brief session, its a waste.
801 dude wrote:
I'm going to have to side with Xfit guy on this one.
Thanks, bro.
You are a marathoner, but do not yet know it.
The problem is that you are jogging.
Yes
I think it's somewhat psychological. I know that I used to feel like I needed five miles to warm up (I was doing 100+ MPW at the time); now an easy 1 mile jog takes care of it.
But hey, it's not like psychological factors aren't real. If 4 miles makes you feel good physically and mentally, and you're fit enough that it isn't tiring you out at all, why no do it? Do whatever makes you feel good.
I read somewhere (can't exactly remember which source) that as your weekly volume gets larger, the time it takes for the body to warm up also gets longer.
4 miles wrote:
i feel that i MUST jog 4 miles before any hard workout or race. i don't feel that 2 miles or even 5k does the right job. am i crazy?
You obviously don't know the purpose of the warm up.
dial it up wrote:
4 miles wrote:i feel that i MUST jog 4 miles before any hard workout or race. i don't feel that 2 miles or even 5k does the right job. am i crazy?
You obviously don't know the purpose of the warm up.
In your opinion, what is the purpose of the warm up? (And please explain where this person's desire to do 4ml in a warmup is "obviously" wrong.)
Thanks.
i want to explain that 4 miler is the beginning of the warmup for me, as i also do strides after. and the 4 miles might start off as a slow jog but it ends as a slightly fast jog but a jog all the same. (i have run sub 8:40 3k which i know makes me the slowest person at lrc but there you go.)
Interesting.
I got to watch Rupp's indoor 2 mi. AR and he slow-jogged a circle for about 45 min before the race.
Now that I'm older it takes at least 2 mi. to feel loose enough to start on stride outs.
Guess it is whatever makes you feel good.
Not crazy at all. I typically do at least 3 miles, and sometimes as much as 6 before workouts or races. One of my best races, I ran 3 miles easy, then did half a mile at my tempo pace. Another time, I ran a few miles as soon as I woke up, drove to a race, did a 6-mile warmup, and then finally beat one of my main competitors who had been finishing just ahead of me all year. The longer warmups help your muscles loosen up, increases bloodflow, and can also give you a mental boost. Whatever works for you.
I used to blaze out the door at 6min pace...then I got older. Difference between my teens and twenties was longer warwarmup for any sort of running.
On the flipside I've had some remarkable workouts and races on a minimal warmup. Warmup is nothing more than preparing the body for a task. The slow jog warmup is second to static stretching in terms of pre-event prep. Do this instead:
1 lap or two minute progressive jog...increase speed to end
High knees about 25y x2-3
Butt kicks about 25y x2-3
Squat jump x3-5
Progressive sprint to near top speed 100m x 3-5...build speed over 100m to near top speed. .top speed no more than 10-20m at end
Take whatever rest you need...warmup is not a workout. You should feel refreshed not tired.
Alan